How to Setup a Wireless Microphone

Wireless microphone technology has made great strides since it's introduction several decades ago. More often than not, when you see your favorite musical group, listen to your preacher or pastor at church, or enjoy the latest theatrical performance, wireless microphones are in use. Today's technology makes setting up and using a wireless microphone easy and generally worry-free. Following some basic guidelines will help you get the most out of your wireless microphone.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

Things You’ll Need:

• A wireless microphone system that will include a transmitter and a receiver.
• The owner's manual for your wireless microphone system
• A battery or batteries to power your microphone transmitter. This is usually either a 9-volt battery or one or two AA batteries. Many times the batteries are including in your wireless microphone pack
• A mixing console to plug your wireless microphone system into
• Amplifiers, speakers, and/or headphones to monitor the sound and provide amplification.
• Cables to connect the microphone to the mixing console (as well as cables to connect all the other components of your sound system.

1. A typical wireless microphone system with handheld mic/transmitter Unpack all the component of your wireless microphone system. This should include the transmitter/microphone, receiver, and antennae.
   Review the "quick start" or setup section of your owner's manual.
2. Place the receiver at a convenient location where you can easily connect its output to your mixing board input. Always try top try to maintain line-of-sight to the stage or performance area where the microphone will be used.
3. A receiver with properly position antennae Attach the antennae to the wireless microphone receiver. Almost all modern wireless microphone systems use two antennae for "diversity" reception of the microphone signals.
   Adjust the antennae so they point away from each other by about 30 degrees.
4. Install the battery or batteries in your transmitter. Connect the AC power cord to the receiver an then plug into your AC power outlet.
5. Turn on your sound system. With the input for your wireless microphone input turned down on your mixing board, turn on the wireless microphone transmitter and receiver.
6. Adjust the sensitivity or gain setting on the transmitter so peak levels do not overload the signal at the receiver. Consult your owner's manual for the location and operation of your specific model's sensitivity controls.
7. Adjust the output setting of the receiver for your desired level at your mixing console. You'll want a strong signal output from the receiver but not so much that it overloads your input channel on the mixing board.

Tips & Warnings

• For larger venues where the mixing console may be far from the stage or line-of-sight placement of the receiver is difficult, place the receiver just offstage and run the receiver output down an "audio snake" for input into your mixing board.
• With most mixing boards, you can adjust or "trim" the input gain of the channel to provide maximum "headroom". You'll want to set the gain so bringing up the input fader about two-thirds of the way, usually "0dB", provides optimum volume from the microphone without any of the component in the system either under or overdriven. This might take some adjusting as you begin using the microphone.
• Almost all modern professional wireless microphone systems have the ability to adjust frequencies. If you find one frequency prone to interference in your location, try adjusting to another frequency.
• Make sure the input assigned to your wireless microphone is turned down on your mixing board when turning off your transmitter. You may receive unwanted signals in your receiver with the transmitter off.